An engaging book with a strong protagonist, a great group of friends, and lots of fun 90s atmosphere! I loved Lily’s burgeoning self-confidence.

I’ll be honest, it was cute, but it didn’t stick with me. Being from the early 90’s, I felt like I would connect to this, but I really didn’t. So I don’t know if it’ll reach the target audience. Lily is adorable and I loved the discussion of women in rock roles.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. 4.5/5 stars.

This is such a good middle grade read, and it's so important to talk about ESL in schools -- particularly the struggles it had in the 80s and 90s. I loved the combination of ESL, immigrant experience, history, families, expectations....and of course, grunge. It's a quick read because of it being middle grade, but I basically almost cried at the end (and would have if I hadn't been reading this in front of my students).

Lily finds her voice at the end, and I just, it's gorgeous.

In the early 1990s, Lily Xiao is heavily into grunge rock, and wants to be like Eddie Vedder or Pearl Jam. This is something of a struggle, since her Taiwanese family is much more concerned with her academic success. While Lily does fine in school, her cousin Vivian, who has just moved to the US, is struggling with assignments because she is still improving her English language skills. When Lily finds a "Camp Rock Out" summer camp that promises to held her learn guitar, Lily really wants to attend with Vivian, who plays drums. The families make a deal with the girls, thanks to Lily's supportive grandmother, Ah-ma; if the girls do well in school, they can attend the camp. Lily even contacts Vivian's teacher to ask for help, and when he tells her that since California's 1986 Proposition 63, there are no ESL services. Since Lily is a model student, she even takes her concerns to the principal, who not only tells her there is no money in the budget for services, but also insinuates that since Vivian's family chose to come to the US, they are the ones responsible for her language challenges. Lily works with other students, including Marcos, a "skater boy", to tutor students and to gather signatures for a petition asking for services. With the help of Keiko, who words at the local record store and performs with an all girl grunge band called Pandora's Box, Lily works on her grunge music skills but also starts to find her own voice to speak up for the oppressed. If grunge music is about "shining light into the dark corners that people don't like to see", will Lily and Vivian be able to use the power of their music to instigate change in their family and community?
Strengths: If you have students who are super into the grunge rock of the 1990s, this is definitely the book for them! Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden, Nirvana, and other groups are all mentioned. The role of women in rock music is discussed in a way that will hopefully make young readers take a closer look at music today, and perhaps encourage them to take a deep dive into their parents' music! There are plenty of good details of the 1990s, with fashions and other cultural touchpoints that took me right back to my first years of teaching, when my students showed me how to peg my pants! The family dynamics in Lily and Vivian's family are interesting, and I loved that Ah-ma wanted them both to do well but was more lenient than their parents. Lily's combination of music and social activism, while rooted firmly in the 1990s, will certainly resonate with today's young readers.
Weaknesses: There is a lot about grunge music, and this might slow the story down for readers who are not as interested in it.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed retro music themed books like Acampora's Confusion is Nothing New or Perez's The First Rule of Punk, or who want to take a look at the troubling racial policies of California in the 1980s and 90s, as depicted in Cho's Troublemaker, Yang's Three Keys, or Tang's Parachute Kids.

This was such a fun read! As an Asian American, I was so excited to read this book. There are not enough books about Asians, especially Asian Americans, and I love how this one shows really realistic representation.
Lily was super relatable! I felt for her as she tried to step outside her comfort zone and be brave. I felt like her experience was really realistic, and her struggles with her family meant a lot of sense. It was fun to watch her learn to stand up for herself.
I loved all the representation in this book and how the author chose to highlight multiple different immigrants. Lily’s new friends learned how to work together as a team and look past stereotypes. The friendships in this book were excellent, and Lily’s relationship with her cousin was also really fun. While sometimes it was a bit painful to read Lily’s ups and downs, she grew from her mistakes.
The story in this one ends hopefully but also realistically. Some people and things don’t change, but it shows the power of standing up for yourself and your family. This is a wonderful middle grade fiction that I would totally recommend!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.

This was cute! The storyline about Lily realizing that so many of her peers aren't being served by English immersion and fighting to change that was well done and important. I personally didn't connect so much with all the grunge music pop culture stuff, but I'm sure for the target audience that won't be an issue because the 90s are truly historical fiction to them.

I hope Chen realizes what an inspiring book she has on her hands. I know there will be populations at my school that will benefit from having Lily Xiao Speaks Out on the library shelf. Lily’s story is so important across generations and empathetically shows the struggles of an immigrant family in such a way that will resonate with many readers. I do hope we will see a teacher’s guide and student edition, especially because books that highlight problematic topics in education and understanding are rare.